Leer



Oct. 21, 1930. R. LA FRANCE LEER Original Filed Oct. 24

gnvantoz attorney MFH Patented ocr. 21, 1930 'Y Y,UNITED sTATEs 'PATENT ord-lolaA RICHARD LA. FRANCE, OF TOLEDO, OEIOLASSIGNOR TO OWENS-ILLINOIS GLASS COMPANY, F TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F OHIO LEER` Application tiledA October 24, 1927, lSerial No. 228,145. Renewed March 29, 1939.

The present invention relates to improvements 1n means for annealing glassware or thelike articles, and particularly to that type in which an endless chain conveyor is utilized to carry ware vthrough a leer tunnel. More particularly, the invention relates to leers of the mutile type in which the ware is annealed by radiation of heat so that the ware is kept out of contact with products of combustion,

the latter beingconducted through a lue and exhausted to the atmosphere. v

In leers of the muiile-type, the products of combustion are exhausted to the atmosphere, thereby wasting considerable heat which, ac-

cording to the present invention, Vis utilized in preheating the leer pans to a degree substan tially corresponding to that ofthe Ware being annealed. Thus, the pans are prevented from absorbing heat from the bottoms of the ware, which quite obviously contributes to the elimination of strains in the annealed glass` Ordinarily, the pans uponpreaching the ware receiving station, are either comparatively cold or havelbeen preheated by using a separate burner designed and installed for the sole purpose of heating the pans. According to the present invention the necessity for employing thisseparate burner is eliminated and the products of combustion are caused 'to Jfollow a path in which they come in direct contact with and etfect-ually heat the `leer pans ust before the latter reach the ware receiving station. Thus, the expense of installation and maintenance of a special burner is eliminated and a medium heretofore wasted is utilized to perform an important function. y Other objects will be apparent hereinafter..

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical central longitudinal sectional view of a portion of a leer constructed in accordance with the present invention.

. Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the line II-fII of Fig. 1.

The leer comprises side walls 5 and a cover or ceiling 6 formed of suitable insulating material supported on a frame 7 which may cornprise a plurality of transverse I-beams 8 1nterconnecting the upper ends of columns 9 foi-ined of channel iron or the like. These of the tunnel.

vheating zone, the Ware is gradually cooled by frame units are preferablytsupported on 1ontion rllers 30 (Fig. 2) to thereby-facilitate movement of the loaded conveyor through the leer tunnel.. These rollers 30 are journalled in angle irons 19 resting upon the leer floorl 2() forming the upper wall of al flue 21 which extends longitudinally of the leer to conduct products of combustion from the heating unit 22 rearwardly a predetermined distance.

' The flue 21u at the inner end ofthe heating zone is directed downwardly and then forwardly to a 'point in proximity to the heating 'unit- 22 where it opens into a chamber 26 communicating with the open forward end of an exhaust flue 23 which accommodates the for- -The lower reach 18 of thc ware conveyor 15 (Fig. 2) moves over a series of anti-friction rollers 25 which space the former from the bottom l2 of the leer.

Ware passing through the heating zone is brought to, or Vmaintained at, the proper temperature by heat radiated from the door 2O After. passing beyond this any preferred lmeans. Productsy of combustion passing through and from the line 21 rst contact with the lower reach ofleer pans at afpoint adjacent the heating unit 22, bringing such pans to-substantially the desired temperature just prior to placing ware on said pans. The intensey heat of the products of i 4. A glassware annealing i combustion at the time they enter the exhaust flue 23, serves as an exceptionally effective preheating means for the pans. As the products of combustion move rearwardly through the exhaust flue 23, the heat is more or less dissipated and quite obviously the tempera.

ture of the pans decreases rearwardly through the flue 23. This condition is of considerable advantage in that the pans are gradually brought to the'propertemperature as they approach the forward end of the leer and areI not brought from a relatively cold area and suddenly subjected to heating by an a ware receiving tunnel having an imperio-` rate iioor, an endless conveyor having one vreach running overtlie floor of the tunnel and another reach spaced therehelow, a heating gases of combustion, a channel through which said gases are conveyed, said channelcomunit at the forward end of the leer, means to conduct products of combustion Aalong and in contact with the lower 4side of the tunnel floor to heat said tunnel by radiation, and means to then direct the products of combustion into contact with the lower reach of the conveyor.

2. A glassware annealing leer comprising `a ware receiving tunnel having an imperforate floor, an endless conveyorqhaving onef reach running over'the floor of the tunnel and another reach spaced therebelow, a heating unit at the forward end of theleer, means to conduct products of combustion along and in contact with thelower side of the tunnel ioor to heat said tunnel by radiation, means to then direct the products of combustion into y contact with the lower yreach of the conveyor,

and'means whereby the products of combustion are so applied to the lower reach of the conveyor that the temperature of the latter -is gradually increased as it moves forwardly.

3. "A glassware annealing leer comprising a ware receiving tunnel having an imperiorate floor, an endless ware conveyor having one reach running through the tunnel and 504 ,another reach spaced therebelow, an exhaust flue enclosing a major portion of the lower reach of the conveyor and open at its forward end, means to conduct products of combustion along and in contact with the lower side of the tunnel Hoor to heat the tunnel by radiation, and meansto then conduct the products of combustion to and into the open end of said exhaust flue to lieat the lower reach of the conveyor.

leer comprising a ware receiving tunnel having an imperiorate floor, an endless ware conveyor having one Ireach running through the tunnel and another reach spaced therebelow, an exhaust 'iue enclosing a major portion of the lower reach of the conveyor and open at its foi-- ward end, a heating unit` arranged at the forward end of the leer, a flue communicating with said heating unit and extending longitudinally of the leer to conduct products of combustion along and in direct contact with the lower side of the tunnel floor, and a forwardly extending flue arranged to conduct the products of combustion to the open front end of the exhaust flue.

5. A. glassware annealingA leer comprising a ware receiving tunnel having an imperferate Hoor, an endless ware conveyor, a heating unit arranged to heat at least a portion of the tunnel by radiation, and means to conduct products of combustion from the heating unit into direct contact with a portion of the conveyor to heat the latter prior to entry into said tunnel.

6. A glassware annealing leer comprising an annealing compartment having an imperfoiate floor, a ware conveyor running through said compartment, means for supplying hot prising a portion extending along the said conveyor and supplying radiated heat from said gases to the annealing compartment while maintaining said gases out of contact with the ware in said compartment, and means for bringing said ases into direct contact with aportion of t e conveyor moving toward said' annealing compartment and thereby heating said portion of the conveyor.

7. In a', glassware annealing leer, the combination of an annealing compartment havcompartment, and means for bringing 'said gases into direct contact with the conveyor and thereby heatingg'the latter prior to its entry into t e annealing compartment.

Signed at Toledo, in the county of Lucas RICHARDLA FRANCE.

Vand State of Ohio, this 22nd day of October, 

